Hot in the City
by KikiMae
Summary: Unusually hot in Los Angeles for this time of year, Lucifer stands on his balcony and inspects his injured wings. He hasn't seen Chloe in 2 days and he recounts the events that led him here, missing her and cursing himself for how his true form had been revealed to the detective. "Blimey, you know it's bloody hot when even the devil sweats" he thought to himself.
1. Chapter 1

The air was sticky and thick with humidity. As the sun dipped low on the horizon, dense mustard hued smog hung heavy in the air. It was unusually hot in Los Angeles for this time of year and the stagnant heat of the day clung to the skin. Stepping onto the balcony of his penthouse, Lucifer sighed deeply and stretched his broad shoulders as he peeled the damp Burberry button up away from his skin.

"_Blimey, __you__ know it's bloody hot when even the devil sweats" _he thought to himself.

Dropping the shirt on a lounge chair, he could feel beads of sweat quickly building on the small of his back. Just as he was about to wipe them away, a sudden breeze passed over the high rise of Lux and licked at the dampness, cooling him momentarily and sending a shudder up his spine. Another sigh escaped this throat as he hunched his form onto the balcony railing, surveying the City of Angels which had become his home.

It had been two days since he and Chloe had seen one another. She hadn't taken it well – not that he had expected her to – but honestly, he didn't even know that it had returned until he saw the terror in her eyes. The same eyes that he found himself missing moments after they parted ways after work every day. The same eyes that he missed sleep over; he was certain that there wasn't a proper color name to describe them and he was determined to give them a name worthy of the brilliant way they flickered and glistened regardless of the light source or lack there of. The same eyes he spent hours staring deeply into and yet could never pull desire from them; oh what a cruel joke his Father played with that one. The single most important person to him in the whole of the universe, try as he might to deny that fact, and he could never quite get a read on her. He yearned – nay – _craved_ to stare deeply into her swirling orbs and coax every desire from the farthest reaches of her soul. He would give her anything (and everything) her heart desired, she need only ask.

His memory flashed back to that moment; as her eyes changed from concern to terror, his heart began to splinter like dead wood locked in a drought. She had seen his true form in exactly the way he had feared; anger filling him to the brim as he sat hunched over a dead human, devil face on display with the very fires of hell burning crimson in his eyes. Drunk on victory... on revenge. That damn moment, the one he had agonized over since the first day they met and it had all gone sideways.

Although, should he have expected anything else?

Despite what Linda said to him over and over, he had every intention of showing the detective who he really was. Finally proving to Chloe that he wasn't delusional and above all, always completely honest. He promised that he would show her _both _sides of himself, she had made that decision easy with her constant reminders that regardless of how he felt about himself, he could trust her. The woman practically begged him to lower the drawbridges of the walls he had built so high, fortified by a millennia of loneliness, shame, blame, and humiliation. The last time he truly trusted, well, he was in the Silver City and all of creation knows how that worked out for him. The detective had said on more than one occasion that regardless of how he saw himself, she didn't see him as the devil... pretty words given that she had absolutely no clue what she was talking about but it didn't change the fact that he clung to those words, those promises, like they were his very life blood.

So yes, of course he would tell her... _damn it,__ just not like that_. He almost had the chance that night in Ella's office. He had softened his heart and features, reminding her again that she deserves the truth and that she was safe. He was so nervous in that moment that every instinct that he had was screaming at him to run. He stayed though, for her. Making absolutely sure she knew that he would not hurt her, he attempted to lower his glamour. He tried to reveal the monster inside of himself, only for his devil face to have been stripped away. She thought he was mocking her, mocking their relationship, and the way her face screwed up in pain made the fire that continually burned in his belly roar up and consume him. That, he remembered, was a pain he'd not soon forget. How easy it would have been to release his wings and prove it to her once and for all but he simply couldn't.

"_Not like that_." He bemoaned. "_If Chloe should accept me, she must first accept the worst parts of me. Father may have forced my wings back upon me but I am an angel to the same degree I am mortal._"

No. If Lucifer was to fully allow himself to open up to his dear detective... if they were to _ever _have a future together, she would have to know him as he had always known himself. A pariah of Heaven, the Lord of Hell, Satan. Showing her his wings would only reinforce her belief that he was wholly good and with no devil face to prove otherwise, he'd feared he would be worse off.

Unceremoniously, he rolled his shoulders and unfurled his wings. He hadn't been healing as fast as he expected so he was rather annoyed when he winced slightly as they shuddered open. Curling each one slowly and gently around to his front, he began to inspect their healing. He ran his hands over the once stark white wings which were still stained with blood and thought back to that night.

"_Go Lucifer, now!_" Chloe said firmly after a silence that Lucifer feared would last an eternity. He was uncertain if he would ever see or hear from her again, but the force behind her command and the coldness in which she turned away from him prove it best not to argue. The very last thing he wanted to do was leave her in the destruction around them, bullet casings scattered like marbles, dust and chunks of marble statues, feathers far too large to belong to any bird known to man, and several dead bodies, including the one of her former lover. He didn't want to leave her there, not only processing the scene but the new truth of who – what – her partner truly was.

He had made a spirited effort to preen his wings when he returned home that night but they were caked with blood, shards of broken glass, and countless bullets, lodged in his feathers, hollow bones, and flesh. When folded on themselves and concealed in his back, he wasn't as aware of the agony he was in as he both battled Pierce and made his way back to Lux. He was suddenly reminded though, when he stretched them out completely to inspect the damage and white hot electricity screamed it's way through his body. Instantly concerned with how he would manage this alone, he tossed back scotch after scotch in a foolish attempt to dull... well, everything. He spent what felt like hours pulling lead and glass out bit by bit with his fingertips, all seemingly fused to his pinions. The scrapes and holes where the glass had entered him were gone now but the bullet holes were still red and gaping. Had Pierce used some kind of divine metal or ward on his ammunition to ensure Lucifer's death?

He shook the thought from his brain as a gentle rain began to fall and he tilted his chin toward the sky. Since his time on Earth began, he had always loved the rain; the only thing that fell from the sky in Hell was ash and oh how he hated the ash. It always left a thick coating on everything it touched, piling high against the doors of the mortals' hell loops. It might surprise the average person (after they have accepted the idea that the devil truly exists) that he is also in fact, a neat freak. The ash always clung to his feet and shoulders as he strode from his throne room through the various corridors to pay extra special attention to those especially heinous mortals.

Lucifer preferred to leave torture to the demons, unless someone truly repulsive and worthy of the worst punishments arrived. Those were his favorite and always worth the arduous task of trekking through that damned bloody ash. Demons would prostrate themselves in reverence for their master and knew that whilst they were showing their respects as he passed by, it was their duty to clear his path. Only one was ever brave enough to refuse this task and he respected her for it, making her his most trusted demon.

Yes, the rain here on Earth was far superior to ash. Cleansing and cool, the droplets fell swiftly onto his exposed skin and plumage as he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, grateful that the heat of the day was giving way to the approaching storm. Running his hands once more over his tattered wings, he shrugged and they returned into his back. In response, his body jerked slightly once more as another wave of heat seared it's way through his spine.

"_I could use a drink._" he thought to himself, turning on his heel but stopped only a fraction of a second later. Even before the elevator chimed her arrival, he knew. As the doors slid open, his heart stopped. She was here.

Frozen in place like a monolith, he eyed her as she stepped cautiously off of the elevator. His first instinct, the one he wished he could satisfy, was to run to her and wrap his arms around her, and breathe her in; the familiarity of her shampoo, the comforting aroma of her breath. Hell, even the scent of her leather jacket would be enough.

Lucifer stiffened himself but his foolish heart, a traitor to it's master, began to beat out her name so thunderously that it attempted to dull all other instincts. Oh, how he had missed her. Her very presence was intoxicating and enough to satisfy the ache of his wounds but he knew that he could not go to her, regardless of how magnetic the pull. Call it self preservation if you will but Lucifer knew that there were only two ways this could go and joining her would likely be the end of the one thing _he truly desired._ If he was honest with himself (he was the only one he ever really lied to anyway), he was scared of her and what she had come to say. She had his very heart and soul in her hands and the idea that she could crush them into dust at any moment was enough to keep him firmly planted in the shadows.

Regardless of why she was hear and how she might break him, he knew he needed to hear her. If not for the sliver of possibility that she would accept him but to have his ears flooded with the smooth honey of her voice one last time. Shifting his weight, Lucifer curved his body against a darkened corner of his penthouse. Was he really hiding from the detective like a child hiding from their parents for breaking a lamp? If he wasn't so captivated by her, he surely would have berated himself for how ridiculous he must have looked in this moment; such actions were far and away from his nature. He couldn't bring himself to care though. Instead, he watched intently as she eased her way into his home.

Lucifer knew he couldn't hide from her for long. Eventually she would make her way out onto the balcony and find him there. While he had his dear detective nearby, he would drink in every last moment, even if it meant that he was vulnerable to the pain that she was surely here to deliver. As she moved through the penthouse, he couldn't bring himself to look away. Oh, how his eyes had craved her.

"_Eyes, __look your last!" _he thought, quoting a line he gave to Shakespeare, never realizing how his words would come back to not just bite, but devour him.

"Lucifer? Are you here?"

* * *

Author's Notes: Hello! While this isn't my first time writing as a hobby, this is my first time delving into the world of Fan Fiction. I enjoyed writing it but I am tentative to say the least. I plan to add more to this piece in the coming days/weeks but I'm not sure where I'm taking it. I guess we are going to find out together!

I do not own any of the Lucifer brand. I am merely enjoying molding the characters to scenarios that I think would be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

Chloe's ethereal call charged the air. It swirled around him, tugging at his heart, and pleading with his feet to advance. Lucifer firmly gripped the door frame as he peered at her. She stood at the entrance for only a moment before walking over to the bar and sliding her hand across the smooth wood. She called out again before heading to his bedroom.

"Lucifer. I know you're here; your car is downstairs. We need to talk."

The thundering of Lucifer's heart was deafening; he could never remember a time when he had felt this panicked. As if catching a glance from Medusa, Lucifer felt as if his body was turning to stone. Struggling to breathe, diaphragm fixed in place, his head began to feel like a helium balloon. As much as he wanted to wish it away, this moment with Chloe was happening. There was no way out of it, that much he knew for sure, but the stony sensation kept it's firm grip on his legs. Soon he was overwhelmingly lightheaded and began to see stars dancing throughout his field of vision. To avoid losing consciousness completely, he bent at the waist and rested his forearms against his thighs. Forcibly drawing several deep breaths of thick soupy air, he was thankful for the summer rain that fell rhythmically against his back.

"This is absurd. You're being foolish. There is no need to hide from the detective. Whatever happens, whatever she has to say to you, you will manage. You'll be fine."

The moment the thought came to him, he realized that he was lying. Truth is, he _didn't_ know that he would be fine if this was the end. In fact, he most assuredly knew that nothing would be fine ever again. He would never be able to keep working with Chloe and he very highly doubted that he would even be able to stay in LA without needing to be in her presence. He would always feel the draw to keep her safe; it would consume him. No, Lucifer knew that as much as he pretended otherwise, he would surely mourn this loss until the end of time. He also knew that he would stop at nothing to make his father pay for this most heinous transgression. All of this was his father's doing "_A__nd now_," Lucifer ached, "_I'll be __truly __alone." _Sure, there would always be warm bodies to fill his bed... fill his time... but none of them would ever come close to matching the connection and intensity he felt with Chloe. No other mortal who had ever or would ever live could hold a candle to her. Lucifer clamped his eyes shut in a foolish attempt to force her image from his brain as he tried to imagine his life without Chloe.

_Life without Chloe._ _Not possible._ His breath hitched and a pained whine escaped his throat at the thought.

_Not possible. _

_Not possible. _

Locked in his perseveration and still folded over onto himself, Lucifer didn't sense her approach or the sudden touch of her small hand between his shoulder blades.

"Lucifer, are you okay?"

The firm yet soft laying of her hand against his bare skin seemed to both appease the betrayal of his body against him and awaken the many wounds still hidden in his wings. Pain ripped through his back but he hardly noticed as he realized that he had been found... and in such a vulnerable position, mind you. His eyes shot open and he straightened his form forcefully. Lucifer's face and eyes softened at the sight of his detective. He raked a hand through his hair but didn't attend to (or notice) the tears in his eyes as he plastered on a weak smile.

"Detective?"

Chloe had never seen Lucifer in such a state. His trousers hung low on his hips, soaked wet from the rain. To her surprise, his skin was barely wet, each drop of rain seeming to dry almost immediately as it landed on furnace like skin. His raven hair was smoothed back haphazardly and a ringlet fell off center of his forehead. Eyes fixed on her in an expression that was completely unfamiliar, she had never seen him look at her or anyone else in this way. Was it pleading? Fear? She hated the way he addressed her, as if her presence caused him physical pain. She never thought she would actually miss his narcissistic attitude but in this moment, all she wanted was for him to turn on his million-watt smile and excitedly announce her arrival with a crude joke. Instead he looked at her as though she was leading him to the gallows.

Today had been a whirlwind for her and she was surprised to find herself in his penthouse. She hadn't planned on having this conversation with him for at least a few more days. What forced the issue and put her into action was Trixie. She had finally started to open up about her fears and told Chloe that she was always fearful her mommy would be hurt again. Trixie never knew what was going to happen with Chloe and the fear of losing her mother never left her. One shooting... one poisoning... was too many. Hoping she would be able to stay close to her mother, she started to not want to go to school and feign ill so she wouldn't have to go to Dan's house. Their most recent "girl's day" had opened her eyes to how Trixie was feeling and what she needed to do about Lucifer. Over their shared piece of triple chocolate cake, Trixie spilled the beans about what was bothering her.

"Mommy, I really like Lucifer. I know he doesn't spend a lot of time with me and he _hates _when I touch him but he makes me really happy. Remember that one time when I forgot my project at home and daddy took me to get it? You and daddy were upset with Lucifer but *_I* _remember him giving me a piece of his bacon. I grabbed him by the hand and he didn't pull away from me. I was going to take him to my room to show him my dolls but you made him leave. He didn't pull away that time, mommy. He let me hold his hand."

Trixie's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at her mom, simultaneously breaking Chloe's heart. She took a long, slow breath and continued.

"Lucifer may not like me that much but that's okay. He is always there when you get hurt and he makes you better. Since you started working with Lucifer, I don't feel as scared that you won't come home. He protects you. I'm glad that he's your partner because I know that he will never let anything bad happen to you. I think Lucifer is your guardian angel."

It was in that moment that Chloe had decided she needed to mend things with Lucifer, if only for him to clear things up with Trixie. Poor thing was living thinking that Lucifer didn't like her and Chloe knew that regardless of his feelings toward children, he would hate knowing Trixie thought he had this opinion of her.

"Thank you for telling me all of that, monkey. I love you and you're right. Lucifer is very special and he does keep me safe. You are wrong that he doesn't like you though. While he isn't great with kids, I'm fairly certain you're one of his favorite children. After all, he loves playing Monopoly with you AND he sat still long enough to get a unicorn painted on his face, just because you asked. He does like you, Monkey. In fact, I'd go as far as to say he loves you." Chloe ran her hand down her daughter's face before pulling her into a tight hug. There was no waiting to talk to Lucifer. Not after this.

Bringing herself back to the present moment with Lucifer, Chloe took a tentative step toward her partner.

"Lucifer? I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. A lot has happened and I needed some time to process everything. Even before..." Chloe drew in a quick breath and swallowed hard before continuing, "what I saw... I trusted that you never lied to me. Now that I know that there were no metaphors, I have questions. I have things I need to say but only if you're okay to talk to me? You deserve space too... if you need it."

She reached her hand out to touch him again and her heart splintered when he shifted his weight on his back leg to lean just outside of her reach. While his minuscule movement hurt her, it was his fear that stung. Regardless of everything that had happened between them in the last three years, or a few days ago, she wanted nothing more than to take him into her arms in this moment. Instead, she bit her bottom lip gently to hold back the tears threatening to spill over and returned her hand to her side. Just before she felt as though her heart would shatter, he sighed deeply and spoke.

"Of course, Detective. Would you care to stay on the balcony or shall we make our way to the sitting room? It's annoyingly hot out here and well, now it's raining." Lucifer breathed, emotionless, gesturing to the city beyond the balcony.

"Sure, we can go inside." Chloe smiled. "Why don't you go towel off and I'll wait for you on the sofa?"

Finding his footing suddenly freed, Lucifer motioned toward the door and followed Chloe through. A deep breath found its way into his lungs again as he walked through a bit of her perfume, suspended in the thick, humid air. It made his heart skip a beat and he felt a bit drunk on the familiarity of it.

"I'll only be a moment." He whispered, as he made his way past her.

Once Lucifer had disappeared into his bathroom, Chloe let her head fall into her hands just as large tears broke free and slid down her face. She knew that she was to blame for his current state. "Of course he's a wreck," Chloe lamented, "I reacted horribly and yelled at him. Damn it, I couldn't even look at him after his face changed to... well... this Lucifer. MY Lucifer."

Chloe rubbed her face firmly with the palms of both hands and swiped at her tears just as she heard him padding his way back into the room. He was still shirtless but had changed into a pair of navy sleep pants and was barefooted. Chloe wondered to herself if she had ever seen his bare feet then quickly shook the thought from her head. Looking him over as he crossed in front of her and sat opposite her, Chloe cleared her throat and began.

"Show me your wings, please."

Lucifer, shocked by her firm and tactless request, immediately locked eyes with Chloe.

"I beg your pardon?" He stammered, raising an eyebrow and looking at her as though she had just told him that she herself was an angel.

"Lucifer, early in our partnership, I saw your scars. You said you cut your wings off. Then you said they were stolen. I know you know I saw the bloody feathers at the scene. When I was shot, I was conscious for a moment and all I could see around me was white, but I felt your arms around me. I heard your screams. Then, we were suddenly on the roof, I was wrapped in your arms, and there were more feathers there. So I'm asking, show me your wings.", Chloe laced her fingers together over and over as she spoke but never broke gaze with him. Her interrogation skills and deescalation training took over and she slid herself down onto the carpet, folding her legs underneath herself. ("Smaller and quieter, Chloe. Make yourself as non-threatening as possible." She thought.) "You've been trying to prove to me since the genesis of our relationship that you are, in fact, the devil. Now I know that to be true, but here's your chance to show me, on our terms. I think we both need a do-over from the other day, don't you?"

Puzzled, Lucifer took in the sight of his dear detective folded up at his feet. Her knowing and kind face waiting for a response that he was unsure if he should give. She was a brilliant detective; it's one of the things he loved the most about her and he wasn't surprised that she had put the pieces together. Now here she was, sitting so beautifully beside him, asking him to finally and fully open up to her. Here she was asking for the one thing that he had been so hard-pressed to prove for so long. With this realization, Lucifer's heart finally slowed to a calm and rhythmic pace. He smiled down at his detective.

"Detective. Are you absolutely sure?" He breathed as he stroked the crest of her ear with his thumb, his gaze fixed so deeply on her he was certain he could correctly identify the star dust contained in her eyes.

"I'm sure. We need this."

At the mention of "We", Lucifer smiled again, creasing the corners of his eyes. He slowly pushed himself out of his chair and walked to the clearing just by his piano.

"As you wish, Chloe." He cooed. Turning around to face her, he dropped his chin to his chest and rolled his shoulders.

* * *

AN: Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I'm excited to post more work and build a community here. Much more to come, including some smut because... well, that's what I'm good at.

Devil'sMiracle17: Thank you for your beautifully written review of my first chapter. I hope you are just as pleased with the 2nd. I'm writing this as an emotionally charged prompt but also trying to stay as close as I can to the character's original behaviors. Only bending them slightly to fit the narrative that I have in my mind's eye.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Shorter chapter this week as I am busy packing and driving to Detroit for Motor City Comic Con to meet Tom, DB, and Lesley-Ann. Feel free to drop a review of things you'd like to see happen with this story. I have some ideas floating in my head but I'm still unsure of where I want this to go. I'm kind of just writing it chapter by chapter. I hope you enjoy and I'll see you all next week!

* * *

Unfurling his wings was intensely painful; he winced as fragments of broken bone ground against each other as he stretched his full plumage and they briefly shuddered into a relaxed position at his sides. His breath hitched in his throat as he waited for her response. Sheepishly lifting his eyes to meet hers, Lucifer smiled gently. Seconds... hours... eons passed as he studied her face. Eyes wide with consternation, Chloe sharply inhaled but still said nothing. Just as Lucifer was about to conceal his wings again, he noticed her hand move to the chair as she started to stand. Taking small, tentative steps toward him, Chloe finally spoke.

"Oh Lucifer.' She breathed as she drew ever closer. "You're beautiful."

Perplexed by her declaration, he didn't notice that she was now standing before him. Her eyes shown brightly as she searched his face and he thought it odd that she had pulled her attention from the shimmering glory of his wings to simply look _at __him_. Slowly and with great care, Chloe raised her right hand and placed it squarely in the valley of Lucifer's chest. With her hand pressed firmly against him, all of the fear and panic he had experienced a half hour ago was suddenly exorcised in a labored breath. He searched her eyes as she continued to look at him but not say a word, hand still on his chest.

"Luci-" Chloe cleared her throat as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. "Are you okay if I touch them?"

"I'm not really supposed to allow mortals to so much as look at my wings, never mind touch them. You know, however, that I've never been one to follow any sort of rules." A soft smile appeared on his face and he continued, "They are quite sore but I suppose that if you are gentle, I'll allow it."

Chloe tapped his chest gently with her fingers a couple of times as she nodded.

"I'm just curious. Of course, I don't want to hurt you or make you uncomfortable so the moment you want me to stop, just tell me. Okay?" Chloe smiled and waited until Lucifer nodded in agreement.

"Very good, detective."

Never breaking eye contact with him, Chloe slowly ran her hand up his pectoral and collar bone as she started to walk around to his left side. His wing raised a bit as she drew closer and Lucifer folded the wing slowly on itself so Chloe could move behind him. When they were no longer connected with their vision, Lucifer closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest slightly. Allowing his other senses to take over, he felt her pause.

"It's all right, Chloe. As you said, we need this."

With his reaffirmed permission, her hand slid to the top of his wing just behind his shoulder. She ran her hand over his scapular feathers, fingering them slowly. On reflex, his wing shuddered again slightly, startling her, and she pulled her hand away with a small gasp.

"I'm sorry, detective. They aren't quite used to being handled in this way. Please, do not be afraid."

"I'm not afraid, Lucifer." Chloe whispered, almost too quiet to hear, "I just don't want to hurt you."

Hurt him? Chloe had never failed to surprise him. He was the devil! He spent a millennia torturing mortals and yet here he was, submitting to one who not only had captured his heart but was truly worried about causing him pain. Familial intervention or no, Lucifer had no idea how he had managed to draw in and captivate someone as incredible as the detective. It was in that moment he vowed (again) that he would never allow heaven or hell, mortal or celestial, to get in the way of his devotion and steadfast guard over her. He would die a million deaths if it meant that he could always have her like this.

Turning slightly to look at her again, Lucifer breathed, "You won't hurt me, detective. Please continue." and he leaned gently into her touch.

A small smile found it's way to Chloe's face as she continued her exploration. When her hands came upon an alula feather that was half as long as the others and stained pink, she swallowed hard and asked the question that had been eating at her since the day she saw his face.

"Tell me what happened to your wings. Can you tell me what happened that day we were ambushed? How you saved me?"

Lucifer tensed with the reminder of Chloe's near death. His wings reacted in kind, jutting out and flapping firmly, always ready for battle. He quickly regained control over his agitated wings in the efforts to not scare (_or injure_) Chloe. Gritting his teeth, he forced a deep breath in and began.

"As you know, detective, Pierce had planned a trap for us with the intention of killing me. He knew who I was long before he became our lieutenant but I didn't learn that he was Cain until some time after. He and I had partnered up briefly because he was hoping that I could find a way to end his miserable existence here on Earth and soon our partnership turned sour. I should have told you sooner. I should have told you before you agreed to marry that oaf. I didn't though. I was scared, detective. Scared of all of the feelings that are so new to me. Feelings that I don't think I've ever had before, even before my fall from Heaven. I was scared when I realized that he was coming between us. I was scared you would marry him and," he drew a long breath and ran his hand through his hair causing his right wing to shift slightly, "I wouldn't get to tell you... that I... I have feelings for you."

As Lucifer spoke, his heart raced. Leaving a trail of warmth and tingling in their wake, Chloe's hands traveled along the lengthy bones of his wings as she examined where they met his shoulder blades. The tingling started from where she touched and traveled through his back, up his spine, and flooded his head leaving him feeling lightheaded again and slightly drunk. Shaking his head slightly, he refocused and restarted.

"When Cain, sorry "Pierce", told you that he wasn't leaving until he killed me, I knew that you were going to try to stop him. What I didn't foresee was that you would draw your weapon and shoot him. Well played on that, by the way." He smirked and flicked his wing playfully, causing her to jump and giggle softly. Chloe, fingering her way through Lucifer's right primary feathers accidentally prodded one of the bullet holes that had not closed. Lucifer jumped in reaction as pain screamed it's way through his wing.

"Bloody hell! Okay, that hurt, detective. There's still bullet wounds that aren't quite healed."

"Oh crap, Lucifer. I'm sorry. I'll stop." Pulling her hands away, Lucifer turned slightly and took her hand before returning it to his injured right wing.

"Carry on. I'm fine. More startled than hurt, my dear." He said before spinning on his heel so she could finish her task.

"So after you shot Pierce, his "right hand dick" shot at you, striking you in the chest. In that moment, detective, I was so scared that I had lost you. I know now, of course, that you were unconscious but in that moment, I feared the worst. Pierce ordered the man to finish me off but honestly," Lucifer took a deep breath in as Chloe ducked under his wing to rejoin him, face to face, and took his hands in her own. He shrugged his wings into his back as he continued.

"Honestly, I wasn't worried about my own life. I was hoping, dare I say... _praying_ that you would have survived the encounter. So, I did the only thing I could do. I wrapped my wings around us... around you... and shielded you from the bullets that rained down on us. The pain was terrible but I'd endure it again right now if it meant that I could ensure your safety. I have never in the whole of my existence experienced fear like I did when I thought that I had lost y- ,"

Tears stained Lucifer's cheeks as a distressed sob escaped his throat. He clamped his eyes closed and his shoulders hunched, defeated by the memories that assaulted his strength and stoical demeanor. Chloe tightened her grip on his hands, bringing them up to her mouth to kiss each one gently.

"Please Lucifer. Don't stop. I'm right here."

Surprised by the touch of Chloe's lips against his skin, he opened his eyes and smiled. Lucifer cleared his throat and worked to begin again.

"I have never cared for someone so much that the idea of them being beyond my reach, in heaven, would cause me to pause and actually _regret_ my rebellion. You, Chloe, are that person. If you had died, you would have gone to heaven and I would have _never_ been able to see you again. Undoubtedly, you would have also stolen away with my heart and I would have spent the remainder of my miserable life on my knees, banging on the gates of the Silver City."

Chloe listened intently as her devil of a partner poured his soul out to her. Releasing his hands, she cupped his face and tears now began to fall from her eyes as well.

Overwhelmed by his declaration, she filled the air. "I am in awe of you. I have never seen you more brave. More beautiful. More vulnerable. Thank you for this gift, Lucifer."

Wrapping him in her arms, they held each other and slowly sank to the floor.

"There's something you need to know, Lucifer. I... I love you. Something in me believes that I always have. There is nothing that could keep me away from you. Heaven would not be heaven without you. In fact, I'm sure it would be... hell." She smiled sheepishly as she stared into the chocolate pools of his gaze. Taking his head in her hands, she kissed his eyes before moving her mouth to meet his own. She clung to him as he pulled her in tighter by the waist. She could feel his need, his fear, his pain, and it broke every piece of her heart.


	4. Chapter 4

The weight of Lucifer's mouth against her own left Chloe breathless and every instinct was instantly pleading for her to give herself over to him completely. To relax into the overwhelming desires that had pulled at her whenever he touched her, to offer herself to him so he could relax into his own desires that he had made glaringly obvious with his unending advances, to _finally _give in to the passion that has steadily intensified since the moment their eyes met. Chloe grazed his bottom lip with the tip of her tongue, tempting him to grant her entry to his mouth. A soft, guttural growl escaped him in reply as her tongue slipped playfully into his mouth. His hands suddenly grasped her arms and he pulled away briefly.

"Detective, are quite you sure that we should be doing this after-"

Not giving him time to finish his protest, Chloe began to plant feather light kisses along the curves of his chest. Over and over, she explored her love's body with her mouth and tongue and teeth. Just when he thought he could take no more, she broke away and gazed playfully into his surprised, deep chocolate eyes.

"Lucifer, don't move." Chloe instructed firmly.

She returned her mouth to his chest as she continued her exploration. Her hands worked in tandem with her lips as she nipped, kissed, and caressed her way to his collar bone and shoulder. Nails gently scratching along his skin, she slowly crossed behind him once more and began to map out his sculpted back. The tantric way in which she touched him forced Lucifer's brain to flood with oxytocin and serotonin; he began to feel dizzy once more... drunk on this chemical saturation, he struggled to remain kneeling so he gripped the chair beside him to keep from falling. He had been with hundreds of women... and men, and no one had touched him in this way before. No one had so easily tamed the devil into submission. It made sense, of course. In his entire existence, he finally understood the difference. None of those people were her. While he certainly had lust for his former lovers, none of them were the person he truly loved with all of his soul.

As her fingers and tongue danced across his skin, he yearned to return the favor and bless her flesh with his touch but her firm warning to remain still kept him in place. After all, who was he to break an order from his partner? There was no way for him to explain the sensory intake that was happening in this moment. His dear detective had kissed him in a way he had only fantasized about and now, hidden from his gaze, she was touching his body in ways that made him reach heights of pleasure he didn't even know had existed. He closed his eyes as the muscles along his spine contracted in response to the french kisses more hungrily planted there. Another moan forced itself free from Lucifer's throat as trails of fire followed her hands. Chloe, sensing his need, combed her fingers through his hair and pulled firmly, forcing his eyes skyward. Before he could react, she buried her face in his neck, kissing and sucking the last of his will away.

"Chloe, please," He breathed, now struggling to form a coherent sentence, "I don't know how long I can resist your most impressive advances." A weak chuckle followed as he shook his head and attempted to regain composure.

Returning to face him with a small grin, Chloe raked her nails down his chest, hands finally coming to a stop on his waist. He realized quickly that what Lucifer took to be desire was actually carnal, desperate need to take what she had already claimed as her own. His pleading eyes focused on her face as he desperately tried to ignore her beginning to finger the waistband of his sleep pants. As she pulled the drawstring keeping them tight against his hips, Lucifer sucked in a breath.

"Are you quite sure that we aren't rushing things? As much as I know I'll kick myself for ruining what is absolutely the most erotic experience of my life; Detective, you've only just learned the truth about me. Shouldn't we..." Lucifer swallowed hard and released a long, urgent sigh as Chloe grazed places unknown to her. "...talk first? We have much to discuss. You must have questions other than wanting to see my wings."

Chloe dropped her hands to her sides and cocked her head as she studied her partner. She had been turned down by him before and she knew that it wasn't his lack of desire that had made him stop now. This was his desperate need to make sure that she was comfortable with the revelation that had demolished everything she knew as fact just a few days prior. There was no denying that they wanted each other and in time, they would have the moment they both craved but he was right. She had questions that needed answers and he was the only one who could give them to her. As much as she wanted him, she also wanted clarity on the questions that plagued her since she saw his face. It was as if every blurry "metaphor" that he had ever told her had finally become clear and vibrant with the truth that she had always failed to see. Every declaration. Every promise of the truth. Every moment when he attempted vulnerability only for it to end badly. He had always been honest but now that she knew who he truly was, she needed clarity. She also needed to tell him about her conversation with Trixie and ask that he clear things up with her. There was no way that she could see a future with him if Trixie spent her time thinking that Lucifer didn't like her.

As much as she wanted their moans mixing in the air, their bodies rocking in unison, their combined desires to bring the other pleasure... now was not the time.

Her expression softened back into the innocent Chloe that Lucifer was used to. She wrapped her arms around his torso, hugging him while saying,

"You're absolutely right, Lucifer. We should talk before we," Chloe cleared her throat, "go further."

A wide smile laid on his face as Lucifer returned her massive, suffocating embrace. "Detective, when have you ever known me to be wrong?" Releasing her, he kissed her nose and winked before floating over to the bar. He poured them drinks and headed to the sofa. As he sat, he crossed one leg over the other and deposited her whiskey on the table.

"Won't you join me, detective? I'm an open book; ready and willing to answer all of your questions. Nothing is off limits. Come come." Lucifer patted the seat next to him, then stretched his arm along the back of the Italian leather. Chloe moved to the sofa and sat down, folding her legs underneath her bum, she positioned herself facing him.

"Don't you think you should put a shirt on first?" Chloe made every effort to avoid looking at his chest and cleared her throat, but she couldn't stop herself from stealing glances at the tightness of his body and the way his muscles flexed and relaxed as he moved. Always observant of her growing desire for him, he licked his lips slowly and ran his finger down the line of her jaw as he replied.

"Why detective, am I distracting you? Need I remind you that you were the one who came here to talk, proceeded to snog me, and spent the last 5 minutes accosting me with your mouth while I stood – nay – knelt before you quite helpless._ I_ can continue to restrain myself," Lucifer paused and grinned as his eyes flashed with playful goading. "Question is, can you restrain_ your _desires, detective?"

Chloe, her newfound confidence fueling her actions, took a long sip from her glass whilst never breaking his gaze. She could feel that he was trying to use his powers against her; he had that familiar look in his eye that he often gave to suspects they interrogated. Funny that he was looking at her like this now, considering he knows he had no effect on her. Setting her glass gently back on the table, she unfolded her left leg and hitched it over Lucifer's thighs so she was straddling him. She leaned in to his face and kissed him hard on the mouth, forcing her tongue through his teeth as she buried her hands in his hair. Her lips quickly made their way to his ear, and sucking his ear lobe into her mouth she nibbled it gently. Just as she felt his hands move to her hips and him buck gently under her, she whispered with a small chuckle,

"I don't think I'll have trouble restraining myself, Lucifer. Although it looks as if you might."

As quickly as she was on him, she was back at his side and finishing her drink, a confident and knowing smile plastered on her face.

"Touche, Detective. Touche."

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AN: Thanks so much for all the reviews! This is another shorter chapter as I just returned from Motor City Comic Con. Met Tom, Lesley-Ann, and DB and had just the best time (pics on my insta) but someone brought their germs and I am super sick. Didn't want to leave you all hanging without another chapter though. Some requested that things heat up, so this is my offering for that... for now. I'll likely return back to more intimate writing before too long. Next chapter will be a lot of talking and Lucifer clarifying things or just reiterating things that he has already told her but she didn't really believe before. Feel free to offer suggestions if there are things you would like me to add. OR if you have an idea of where you would like me to take this story. I'm also working on a few other pieces, some really smutty.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry the next chapter took so long! Life is ridiculous over here and it got away from me. I'll be back to posting once a week. :-)

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Leaning to her side a bit, Chloe retrieved a folded sheet of paper from her back pocket. As she opened it, Lucifer noticed the pronounced creases, evidence of her folding and unfolding it several times over. She'd obviously put a lot of work into it and studied it many times over.

"My my detective, you have been a busy bee! Should I have cleared my schedule for tomorrow?"

Lucifer raised an eyebrow and chuckled into his glass as he finished his whiskey before setting the tumbler onto the table. He positioned his body toward her once more as he studied her features and waited for her to begin. He ached to run his hand along the strands of hair that now feathered down beside her cheek and position them behind her ear. She had kept her hair down today, not something she did often and it glowed like slow poured honey in the golden hour of a summer day. The way it glistened and caught the light reminded him of the shining of his own wings and he was transfixed, same as when a human has a glimpse of divinity. As if by reflex, he breathed in deeply, sure that it smelled of honey as well. Her emerald green eyes glistened and the whites of her eyes were pink. His face screwed up in concern for a moment as he realized that she probably had been crying. He made a mental note to remember to ask her how she had managed in the last few days. She might be surprised to know that he could hear her heart from where he was sitting. While it was racing, it also drummed out what Lucifer was sure was the most beautiful song he had ever heard. The choirs of heavenly hosts had nothing on the beating of her heart. The song of her life, her soul, her love for him. Closing his eyes for a moment, he let the Ba Bump, Ba Bump, Ba Bump of her life force imprint itself onto every single one of his atoms.

When he looked up at her again, she was still studying the paper and mumbling to herself.

"I should probably ask this one first, I mean, I need the information from this question to help me understand question 4 more completely. Why didn't I put these in a better order? Ugh, I don't need to ask this one now because I saw his wings... Wings. The dude totally has wings..."

Chuckling to himself, Lucifer tapped her shoulder with the pad of his index finger.

"I know I said I'd answer your questions but darling, if we proceed at this pace, we might only be on question 3 when you expire from old age or when my uptight half brother decides to return to earth, whichever comes first. Perhaps we should just start at the top?"

"Lucifer," Chloe started flatly, "I know this looks ridiculous. I know I'm being ridiculous but you know me. I'm a thinker and this is the only way that I know how to handle this so I don't feel like my head is going to spin clear off of my body. I mean, I'm the ONLY person in the world who knows that _all of this_-" Chloe held out her hand, motioning toward him erratically then toward the heavens, "is, you know... real! I mean, how am I supposed to deal with that and _not_ have a million questions?"

She took a deep breath in and her shoulders hunched slightly when she exhaled sharply. Uncrossing his legs, Lucifer mirrored her position in one quick motion, hooking his legs underneath himself and turning toward her. He leaned in and placed his hands on her knees before whispering,

"Linda has known for a while now. Nearly turned her brain to mushy peas for a tic. Once she regained her bearings, she had loads of questions. Quite annoying actually, we didn't talk about me for weeks. I'm sure you can imagine how frustrating that was for me."

Chloe's face shot up to meet Lucifer's cheeky grin.

"What!? She doesn't know! She knows!? Did she just believe you or did she see your face like me? Why didn't she tell me?"

Chloe ran her fingers through her hair, then forcefully down her face before using that same hand to strike Lucifer on the bicep. The contact didn't hurt, of course, but it didn't stop him from feigning injured. He grabbed his arm protectively and mouthed a silent, "Ouch!" as he chuckled again.

"Lucifer, this isn't funny. I could have been told this information sooner and Linda could have helped. It would have made everything so much easier! You ass!"

"I'm sorry we... No. I'm sorry that **I** didn't tell you sooner, Detective. If you remember, I did try several times to tell you the truth and even show you my face. As much as we might wish it so, we can't edit the past. Typically I live an existence with very few regrets. Not being brave enough to show you my true self is one of those regrets and while I have excuses for why I didn't, none of those matter now. What we have is right now. You know who I am, devil and angel, albeit fallen. You know my father is, well, God. The Almighty. The Great "I AM". Alpha and Omega. Yadda yadda. You know that there are other mortals in your reality with whom you'll be able to converse after you've had your fill with me," Lucifer wiggled his eyebrows at her and reached up to hold her face in his hand, thumb gently stroking her ear. "So, ask me your questions. Either that or I'll toss you over my shoulder, give your bottom a right ol' swat, and carry you to bed!"

Chloe's laughter filled the room as she playfully struck him once more and stuck out her tongue, "Oh stop it, Lucifer! Fine. Let's start with..." She quickly scanned her paper before returning to meet his gaze. "What's it like in hell? I mean, is it all fire and brimstone? Are people really burning in lakes of fire? What's it like for you?"

The last bit of her question startled him. He couldn't remember a time when someone had asked him what hell was like for the devil. No one had ever really cared whether he like it or not, was comfortable or not. Certainly not his father or family in the Silver City. As far as they were concerned, he deserved the torment of being separated from heaven and the beauty therein. They loathed him and his rebellion. They created and perpetuated the most heinous lies about him. They allowed mortals to pen stories of his accused "evil ways" with absolutely no evidence to prove them or a way for him to defend his innocence. His father and his family in heaven were loved and revered and no one, celestial or mortal had ever had an ounce of compassion and empathy for his suffering and he did... suffer. No one, until this woman.

Leaning backward to stretch the muscles in his back, he groaned, "Where to begin really? Hell is, well, hell. However it might surprise you to know that it's not like the writers of your holy books have imagined it. It's more of a prison than anything and each soul who finds themselves within its gates has their own cell. This cell is an absolutely wicked design of my father's, you see, it's like a never ending movie theater for the damned. Humans, from the moment they learn right and wrong, begin to produce their own personal hell and heaven. Once they've shuffled off their mortal coil, the soul decides what they truly deserve. In the complete history of time, no soul has sent themselves where they didn't belong. Driven to hell by their own foolish, cruel, or heartless actions, they live in a loop of their own creation. They suffer for all eternity in the moments for which they feel the most guilt and once the script has run it's course, it begins again."

Lucifer shuddered, remembering when he was caught in his own hell loop, forced to plunge Azrael's blade into his brother, Uriel, over and over again. Chloe must have sensed his discomfort because her hand found his forearm and she gave it a gentle squeeze.

"There's not a lot of fire, over all. Well, there's fire in many loops but the main level is mostly made up of jagged stone not unlike dull obsidian, and ash. The bloody ash rains down on everything and piles up like snow. There are other circles of hell that have fire but I don't travel to those sections often. As to your question of souls burning in lakes of fire, you'd be interested to know that the majority of those are those wretched, hateful "Christians" who spent their lives mistreating their fellow man. Those Christians who bullied and raged and abused others with threats of a "lake of fire" whilst not recognizing and correcting their own sins and transgressions. Irony or coincidence? I'll let you be the judge. Whatever it is, that particular brand of torture is not for those who were threatened with it but for those who delivered the threats."

Chloe sat, wide eyed and mouth agape, listening to her partner share the secrets of the universe. With her head resting on the back of one of her hands, she breathed, "I don't want to say that I couldn't imagine that, because I absolutely can imagine it. I mean, I have regrets, things I feel guilty about and responsible for. The idea that I would have to relive those moments over and over until the end of time..." Chloe drew in air sharply and shook her head, "Whoa. That's intense. Your dad is imaginative."

Laughing softly, Lucifer lowered his gaze to his lap and fingered the drawstring of his pajamas, "You're telling me, detective."

"So finish. What was it like for you?"

This was the bit from her initial line of questioning that he was unsure of how to answer. His fingers combed their way through his curly hair before he leaned for the whiskey decanter and poured himself another two fingers. Touching the tumbler gently to his lips, he took drawn out sip and started, "This question vexes me. Since my rebellion and inevitable fall, I've reigned over hell. I always saw it as a punishment. A cruel, sick joke that Father made at my expense. Truth be told, I hated it. However, it was just a job to be done and one that I was quite good at doing. A daily punch card and a way to pass the time. As you can attest to, detective, I'm not inherently evil and I don't force humans to sin. In fact, I think it could be argued that I spend a lot of my time trying to _keep humans from sinning _but I digress. As warden, I ruled over all of the demons of hell and made sure the appropriate punishments were implemented. When an especially heinous soul would pass through the gates, I would see to their punishment personally. Ensuring that the damned atoned for their wrongdoings was of paramount importance. When I wasn't overseeing punishments or maintaining order, I was in my quarters. You'd likely find me reading; it's one of my favorite pass times and I have hundreds if not thousands of books there."

As he finished, he felt Chloe shift her weight. Sensing her movement, he swung his legs out from under himself and she tucked her torso under his arm and began to trace her fingers up and down the fabric on his thigh.

"Please understand that I take no part in deciding who goes to hell, nor do I tempt humans to sin. I also take no joy in torturing souls once they are in hell; you lot actually do a bloody good job of that yourselves, overall. What was forced upon me was a job. A title for which I had no alternative. This continued on, day after day, millennia after millennia until... I left. I was tired of being a pawn. Tired of being forced to torture. Tired of being tortured. I left and came here and I found you."

Chloe could feel the pain welling in Lucifer as she heard his voice crack. He cleared his throat and squeezed her against him gently. His skin was hot against her cheek and he smelled of musk, spicy cinnamon, and the whiskey he'd been enjoying. Her hand moved gracefully to his stomach and her hand pulsed a bit when his own closed over top, welcoming her touch.

"I'm so sorry, Lucifer. **That,** I can't imagine. I don't know how you endured that for so long. All of it, being cast out by those who were supposed to love you unconditionally, having humans vilify and blame you for thousands of years, being alone for so long." Chloe stopped just long enough to pick her head up from his chest to plant a long kiss on the spot over his heart. "I never want you to feel that way again. Loneliness is the worst kind of torture, I think. I've not experienced it to the same degree, of course, but I know the feeling just the same. I don't care what you did in heaven, you are a good man and you didn't deserve that."

"Well, thank you, Chloe. There are multitudes who believe differently but frankly, your opinion is all that matters to me." Tracing circles on her shoulder, he continued. "I believe we are doing fairly well so far, don't you? Next question, if you please."


End file.
